Dispensing attachment for cans



May`14,19 35. y 'SMBBOTT 2,001,481

DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR CANS Ffned July 16, 1934 Patented May 14, 1935l g UNITED STATES PATENT orrree DISPENSINGATTACHMENT FOR CAN S t f ScottM. AbbottfChicago, Ill., assigner to Crane Packing'Company, Chicago,Ill.,r a corporation of Illinois Application July 16, 1934, Serial No.V'735,508

14 Claims. (Cl.22123) My invention relates to improvements in distheouter portion; to provide a device which may pensing attachment forcans. be successfully used by an'inexperienced' per' At present somelittle difficulty and inconson, and to provide a device which may bewith# venience are experienced in the use of ve galdrawn from the can onwhich it has been used,

lon cans and in smaller sized cans'in which luwithout damaging it, afterthe can is empty, and 5 bricating oil is commonly sold. It is dicult tomay be reused on other cans for an indefinite pour such oil into thecrank case opening of auperiod. Y A tornobile engines as the can cannotbe lowered The device as shown in the accompanying sufficiently to bringthe spout at the upper. end drawing illustrates'a commercial embodimentof l0. thereof low enough to insure pouring the oil the invention andcertain minor modifications 10.

into said opening without spilling it. The same thereof. In saiddrawing: diiliculty occurs to a greater or less extent in Fig. l is aside elevation oi a rectangular canY the'use of cans or containers usedfor variousI with the dispensing attachment in the form of a otherliquids even Where it is possible to hold spigot applied thereto;` l y15 the spout of the canclose to the receptacle into Fig. 2 is anenlarged side' elevation of the 15 which the liquid is being poured..This is true SpigOt; v. particularly where the can and its Vcontentsare Fig. 3 is a top View thereof partly in section; heavy. Also, in thecase of'cans which contain Fig. 4 is a central sectional elevation;maple syrup or other sticky substance of consid- Fig. 5 is aperspectiveY View of' certain details;

erable viscosity the liquid is apt to drip from the Fig. 6 is a planview of a modified spigot o n a 20 outlet, necessitating a cleaning ofthe can in smaller scale applied to a cylindrical can; and order tohandle it conveniently .during subse-. Fig. 7 is an elevationon a smallscaleof a quent operations. Various attempts have been spigot having aflexible tube or extension. made heretofore to overcome this diiculty byThe can IG is intended to be typical of any attaching an outlet or spoutto the container rectangular can, i. e., one having at vertical 25 afterit had been filled with the liquid. However, walls, with the usualhandle i l at the top and a it has been difcult to apply these devicesto the spout l2 closed by a suitable cap.

canin such a way as to insure a tight joint and The body of thedispensing attachment or alsoto provide a device which maybe removedspigot I3 is of generally cylindrical form, thev g from the receptacleafter it is empty and which tubular outer. part havingv a ange orshoul-go may be used again. As a result, the theoretical. der i4 and areduced cylindrical extension advantages of an attachment of thischaracter l5 with a gasket or. compressible washer 'l5' have not beenfully attained in actual practice. against the shoulder M. This gasketmay bje The general object oi my invention is to pro made of oil proofrubber, cork or'other material vide'an improved device of this characterhaving suitable for the liquid, the vescape of which is '35 a pointedend which is pushed through the wall intended to be prevented by thissealing memof the container and having means whereby said ber. Thecylindrical extension l5 has transverse Wall may be firmly clampedbetween shoulders openings il therethrough,through which the on saiddevice to hold the later securely in place liquid enters in flowingthrough the tubular and prevent leakage. member I3. The inner end .ofthe cylindricalv 40 A COIltrblltOYy Objet iS t0 provide anattachextension l5 has a tapered or cone shaped porment of thischaracter having means for extion i8 which acts as a cam surface ashereinpanding the inner part of the attachment, after after described. tit has been pushed through the opening formed The conical end IS has anon-circular openby the pointed inner end, thus forming a posiing in it,i. e. square, hexagonal or of other 45 tive abutment against Whchthe canwall may outline, preferably Square, to receivethe. shaft be clampedfrom the outside. te of .square cross section, which slides back andOther objects are: to provide a device of this forth in said openingwithout rotating. The ChaTaCtl Wl'lCh dOCS X101? Tefllll the turning 0finner end .of the shaft. i9 carries a cylindrical the portion which isforced through the can wall part 20 which has a conical head 2l tapering50 in order to eliect ther clanflpingl engagement; to to a sharp point.Surrounding the shaft ware provide a device in the form of a spigot,having a plurality of curved` shells which conjointly an improved valvein the outer end; to provide present a cylindrical outline no larger incross n a device having an adjustableY inner portion section than thecylindrical end 20. In thev which may be expanded and contracted frompresent case there are two such shellsorwings'55 2 22, 23, which, ineect are pivoted at theirvinner ends near the head and which may beswung foutwardly at their outer ends to increase the effective diameterof theV body and to present positive abutments so that thev wall of thecontainer Il) kmay be clamped Vbetween `these adjustable shells orabutments and the fixed abutment I4, preferably with the interposed,thick,

compressible gasket I6. f

These adjustable abutments are each in the "form of a half cylinder, asshown in Fig. 5. The

longer one 22 has a ring 24 atits inner end ,loosely surrounding thesquare shaft I9 wherebyV it may swing to a certain anglewithout binding,the opening in said ring being rectangular Vand preferably oblong, withtwo of the walls at an incline, as shown in Fig. 4....In .like man? nerthe half cylinder 23 also has a ring 25 at its inner end, surrounding`saidsquare'shaft I9 but of smaller diameter than the ring 24, as showninFigs. 4 and 5, the opening in said ring being oblong in this case also,with two inclined walls. The surface or corner of the ring 25 adjacentthe ring 24 is beveled or rounded somewhat andthe corresponding cornerof the ring 24 Yis also rounded, toV facilitate the swinging or rockingmovement of the two abutments to the position shown in Fig. 4 with theirouter ends spread 'apart and to insure` their return movement.V Therings are normallyfat vright angles to the shaft I9v and thesemi-cylindrical abutments 22,v 23 are at right angles to said rings andhence parallel to said shaft. A helical spring 26is confined between thering 25 and the conical end I'and holds the two' shells 22,v 23normallyv in contact withu each other; and parallel to said shaft,bypressing. thetwo rings against the flat surface ofthe head 20.

Y 'The' outerend 421 of the, shaft i9 is threaded 'witha ne thread, andis. received within a screw Vthreaded cone shaped head or nut 28 spacedfrom but securedtoan annular projection 29 on theV valve 30 by `means.ofl bracketsv preferably formed Vintegral therewith. TheV valve housing30 may be gripped in the hand asa handle and rotated with referencetothe cylindrical body I3, the part 29 fitting within and rotating in thecylindrical body I3, and the flange 3| serving as a stop to resist'theinward thrust of theshaft under the influence of the helical spring 26.The nut 28'rotates with the valve housing and draws in the `square shaftI9, against theaction of said helical spring, Vthus forcing the outerends ofj the` pivoted abutments 22 `and23 against the conical' surfaceI8; 'I'he latteracts as aV cam and spreads the abutments suiciently toenable them to slide: over the cylindrical extension I5 and presstheQwall I 0 of the cam against ,theV

gasket Ili andthe shoulder I4,fthus clamping 'said wall between positiveabutments and forming a tight seal. If the valve housing 30 is rotatedin the opposite direction, the squareL shaft I 94 is moved `to the rearunder the action of the spring 26, and thus the pivoted abutments, are

swung down to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by the pressure of theend of the helical spring against the end rings 24, 25, in which initialposition they form 'substantially a complete cylinder of a diameter nogreater .than 'and preferably less than the diameter of the cylindricalextension I5.' p t' The valve housing 3U is .equipped with any suitablevalve handle 32 above the same, said handle being fastened by a pin 33tothe valve stem34, the lower part of which ilares as a cone shaped valve35 with one side cut out, whereby rotation of said valve opens or cutsoil? communication between the interior of the hollow body I3 and thenozzle 36. The spring 3l' is compressed Vbetween the 'lower surface 38ofthe handle and the shoulder 39 in the valve housing, thus exerting anupward pressure on the tapering valve and tending to hold it in place,thus preventing leakage without the use vof packing or gaskets.

In view of the foregoing description, the manner 4of applying the deviceto the can and the koperationof the spigot will be evident. The can I0is placed on'itsside so that the wall to which lthe dispensingattachment is to be applied, is uppermost. The sharp end is then forcedthrough the metal and thedevice pushed in until further movement islimited by the shoulder I4 and gasket y I6, after which the valvehousing 30 is used as a handle and rotated to` expand the two innerabutments and clamp the device firmly in place.

If it is necessary to prevent rotation Aof the device.

as a whole, the body I3 may be held against turning by the other hand.Also, if 'after screwing the device up hard to insure againstleakage,the

valve should notbe in vertical position, right side up, the parts may beunscrewed a little to relax the pressure `and the device as awholerotated byv turning Ythe body I3 the necessary amount, after whichthe retightening of the parts will bring the valve to vertical position.However, the

thread 21 being a fine thread; and the-gasket I6 being comparativelyythick, the latter may be com-v pressed enough'to bring the valve tothedesiredV position and make a tight joint merely by screwing the partsv alittle tighter and without makingk any adjustment whatever.

Where the device is to be applied to a cylindrical can as distinguishedfrom one havingflat walls, theflange I4 instead of'presenting a at innerface may be curved as shown at 49 in Fig. 6,

although in most casessuch curved flange is not necessary as aflatflangejand the proper gasket will insure a tight seal, even on'acylindrical can.

Where aexible extension kis desired to afford a little'more latitude indischarging the contents ofthe container, a spigot may be vformed withan extensionfin the form of a flexible hose or cable 4I `which may be anarmored cable or otherwise. This short length of flexible tubing may Vbemerely in the form of an attachment toslip over the nozzle` 36.`

- I claim:V f

1. A dispensing attachment comprising abhollow body having a sharp innerend whereby said body may be pushed part'way into a container when saidsharp end isforced through the'wall of said container, a movableabutment associated with the portion of said body which peneL1 tratessaid wall and means on'the outer portion,v

`said members being movable outwardly relatively to each other, andmeans on the outer end of said body to move said members outwardlybeyond the limits of said cross sectional outline and to retract them.

3f.f.An; attachment vspigot for: containers l com-,f prising a hollow?cylindrical bodyhaving':az-pointfv that of the portion of said bodywhich.zp'rotrudes-I into"s'aidcontainerjand an actuating member movablelongitudinally within said body, one end of which is connected to saidmovable members to swing them outwardly, and rotatable means at theother end of said body to move said vactuating member.

4. An attachment spigot for containers comprising a hollow body having apointed inner end to penetrate a wall of said container, a p-air ofmovable members mounted on opposite sides of said body and normallyhaving a cross sectional outline, including the outline of said body, nogreater than that of the opening in said. wall made by the pen-etrationof said pointed end, an actuating member movable longitudinally withinsaid body, one end of which is connected to said movable members toswing them outwardly, and manually operable means at the other end ofsaid body to move said actuating member.

5. An attachable and detachable spigot for containers, comprising anelongated body having a sharp inner end to puncture awall of saidcontainer, abutments movably mounted on said body whereby they mayexpand and contract, resilient means normally holdingl said abutments incontracted position, whereby they do not interfere with the insertion orwithdrawal of said body through said punctured wall, and means near theouter end of said body having mechanical connections with said movableabutments, whereby the latter may be expanded against the action of saidresilient means and permitted to be retracted thereby.

6. An attachable and detachable spigot for containers, comprising ahollow, elongated body havv ing a sharp inner end to puncture a wall ofsaid container, members movably mounted on said body whereby they mayexpand to form inner abutments or may contract so as not to interfereWith the insertion or withdrawal of said body through said puncturedwall, resilient means ncrmally holding said members in contractedposition, positively actuated means near theouter end of said hollowbody having mechanical connections through the same to said innerabutments, whereby the latter may be expanded against the action of saidresilient means and permitted to be contracted thereby, and an outerabutment on said body, between said means and said'movable innerabutments, whereby said container wall surrounding said aperture may beclamped between said outer and inner abutments.

7. An attachment spigot for thin walled liquid containers comprising anelongated body, a rod passing longitudinally therethrough andnon-rotatable with respect to the same, the outer end of said rod being-screw threaded, a valveat the outer end of said body having a nutengaging said screw threaded rod whereby rotation of said valve willmove said rod longitudinally, a plurality of pivoted members ,mounted onthe inner end of said body and actuated by said rod and a sharp innerend on said body to penetrate the container wall.

8. An attachment spigot comprising a body portion having a pointed innerend to puncture a saidfrbodyfpo'rtion' vbetween said 'inner" end? :andsaid', ange-,i andfadapte'd toextend within-,said

container beyond, said puncturediwallqon the sidel oppositeVsaidefiangeya' pair of abutments pivoted to sa.id-bodf,r ,inwardly-of.-saidf-inclined surfaces,"

and a"-flongitudinally vmovablegshaft -passing throughrsaid lbody fordrawing said.'almtments against said inclined surfaces tospread thesameand force them into positive engagementvwith the inner surface ofsaid wall. v

9. An attachment spigot for containers comprising an elongated, hollowbody having a reduced inner extension, a shoulder thereon, said.

face and means for moving said rod outwardlyrto cause the outer ends ofsaid wings to ride over said conical surface and spread the' same.

l0. An attachment spigot for liquid containers 3 comprising a shaft, apair of semi-circular Wings surrounding the same, each wing having aring at its inner end with an opening through which said shaft passesloosely in non-rotatable engagement, an outer tubular member, forconveying liquid from said container, surrounding the outer end of saidshaft, a cam surface on the inner end of said tubular member adjacentthe outer ends of said wings, and means near the outer end of saidtubular member for drawing said shaft outwardly to cause said camsurface to be engaged by and to spread said wings.

l1. An attachment spigot for liquid containers comprising a tubularcasing having a flange intermediate its ends, a transverse openingthrough said casing on one side of said flange, a closure for theadjacent end of said tubular casing having an axial opening therein, ashaft passing longitudinally through said casing and through said axialopening, a faucet having an extension fitting within the other end ofsaid casing and having a nut spaced therefrom by brackets, the outer endof said shaft having screw threaded engagement with said nut,semi-cylindrical wings each" having a ring at the end thereof throughwhich the inner end of said shaft slides, and a helical spring betweensaid rings and the inner end of said tubular casing.

l2. An attachment spigot for liquid containers comprising a tubularcasing having a flange intermediate its ends, the inner end of saidcasing having a tapering closure with a rectangular opening therein, arectangular shaft passing through said opening and positioned axiallywith respect to said casing, the outer end of said shaft being screwthreaded, a head affixed to the inner end of said shaft, a pair of ringson said shaft against said head, an axial extension on each ringnormally terminating at said tapering closure, a helical spring betweensaid rings and said closure normally holding said axial extensionsparallel to said shaft, a handle at the outer end of said tubular casingand a nut carried thereby engaging the screw threaded end of said shaft,whereby when said handle is rotated said axial extensions are caused todiverge by said tapering closure.

13. A device as in claim 12 wherein the handle is a faucet communicatingwith said tubular casing to discharge liquid from said container.

14. An attachment spigot for liquid containers comprising a tubularcasing having a flange intermediate its ends, the inner end of saidcasing having a tapering closure with a rectangular openingV therein; Yarectanglar'fshaft passing through said opening and positioned axiallywith having a fine screw thread thereon, a faucetat 2`,`o'o1",4a1` l theouter end' of said tubular casing, a nut carried thereby engaging saidscrew thread, whereby when said fauet is rotated said pivoted arms Varee Y caused to diverge by said tapering closure, and a thick compressiblegasket positioned inside said 5 iiange to permit rotation of said`i'aucet to vertifY Y cai position. Y SCUIKTM. ABBOTT;

